Rank Group Flags Risks to Venues and Jobs from Proposed Machine Games Duty Hike
Written by Kai Koch · Sep 28, 2026
Rank Group Flags Risks to Venues and Jobs from Proposed Machine Games Duty Hike
Rank Group, the operator behind Mecca Bingo and Grosvenor Casinos, has issued a direct warning about the potential fallout from a proposed increase in Machine Games Duty to 40 percent ahead of the UK government's October Budget, and the statement highlights how such a change could leave roughly a third of its venues unviable while placing around 2,000 jobs in jeopardy.
The company, which employs thousands across its UK operations, described the measure as one that would trigger widespread closures and deliver notable effects on local economies along with social structures in the communities it serves, and CEO Richard Harris outlined these consequences in detail during recent discussions about the tax adjustment.
Details of the Proposed Tax Change and Immediate Company Response
Under the plan now under consideration, gaming machine duty would rise sharply to the 40 percent level, a shift that Rank Group calculates would render approximately one third of its sites unsustainable according to internal assessments, and the operator has connected this outcome directly to the need for site closures that would follow such a rate increase.
Those closures in turn carry implications for employment, with figures indicating that some 2,000 positions, representing about 30 percent of the group's UK workforce, stand at risk if the higher duty takes effect, and company leadership has emphasized that these job losses would not remain isolated but would ripple outward through supply chains and nearby businesses.
Broader Local Impacts Highlighted by Leadership
Richard Harris noted that the financial pressure from the duty rise would extend beyond the company itself, producing significant local economic and social consequences in areas where venues operate, and observers note that bingo halls and casinos often function as community anchors that support additional employment in hospitality and retail sectors nearby.
Data from the operator shows the scale of exposure, with the one-third unviable figure emerging from detailed modeling of revenue streams under the new tax rate, while the 2,000-job estimate reflects direct roles across both bingo and casino formats that could disappear if sites close.
Context Around the October Budget Discussions
The warning arrives as the government prepares its October Budget, and Rank Group has positioned its statement as a factual assessment of operational viability rather than speculation, and analysts following the sector have tracked similar duty discussions in prior years that produced measurable shifts in venue numbers and staffing levels.
Because the proposed rate applies specifically to gaming machines, the impact concentrates on land-based sites where these devices generate a substantial portion of revenue, and the company has indicated that alternative cost-saving measures would fall short of offsetting the scale of the increase.
People familiar with the operator's portfolio point out that Mecca Bingo locations tend to rely more heavily on machine play compared with some other activities, whereas Grosvenor Casinos maintain a broader mix yet still face parallel pressures when machine duty climbs, and this distinction helps explain why the viability threshold hits roughly one third of the total estate.
Employment and Community Considerations
The projected loss of 2,000 roles would represent a concentrated reduction in the UK workforce, and those positions span a range of functions from floor staff and technicians to management and support services, and the company has stated that such reductions would occur through a combination of site closures and operational streamlining at remaining locations.
Local authorities in regions with higher concentrations of Rank venues have received briefings on the potential effects, and the social dimension includes reduced access to regulated entertainment options that currently draw regular visitors from surrounding neighborhoods, and studies of comparable tax adjustments elsewhere have documented follow-on changes in footfall for adjacent shops and transport services.
Yet the operator continues to operate its full network while the Budget process unfolds, and preparations for different scenarios remain internal as the government weighs revenue targets against industry feedback on duty rates.
Conclusion
The statement from Rank Group supplies concrete figures on venue viability and employment exposure tied to the proposed 40 percent Machine Games Duty rate, and it underscores the connection between that tax level and wider effects on local economies and communities, and further details may emerge as the October Budget approaches and additional operators or trade bodies contribute their own assessments to the ongoing discussions.